HVAC and Winter Vent Cleaning: What You Should Know

Most HVAC units are used a great deal in the winter. As the colder weather sets in, people want to get the most out of their system and ensure that the house stays toasty and warm. As a result, many people realize that they have not really maintained their HVAC in the best condition during the year and find themselves in need of a service. This is a good time to get your servicing done while it is still Fall. The weather is not quite that cold, which means we can come out and take care of your HVAC servicing and make sure you have no problems during the colder days ahead.

HVAC units are one of those things that most people simply take for granted until something goes wrong. We are so programmed to simply go to the thermostat and turn the temperature to something more comfortable, it is easy to forget there is a machine working hard to maintain that temperature. In addition, there is the fact that all the hot or cold air your HVAC is putting out has to travel through a series of tubes and then out into the house via the heating and cooling vents. This is where dirt and dust can settle.

If you look at your HVAC vents in the house, they will be a clear indicator if you need to get a scheduled maintenance check on your HVAC unit. In many cases, homeowners forget about their HVAC unit until they start to notice that the air quality is not as good as it once was. The first place you would check when this happens is your air vents. Very often, all the dirt and dust in the home will accumulate on the air vents, and any debris that comes through the ventilation system will also be deposited on the air vents. As a result, these will start to get a film of dust. If they are not cleaned regularly, this will build up till eventually, you will have thick, black grime on the vents. These need to be cleaned. You can clean them with a rag and over-the-counter spray, or have us do it as part of your regular maintenance.

In addition to the cleaning of the air vents, the other part of an HVAC system that you should check on before the winter sets in is the air filter. These trap a large portion of dirt, dust, and other contaminations from going through the air system and into the house. Typically, your air filter should be changed at least once every six months, so if you have not changed it in a while, you should have us take care of this for you when we come out to service your HVAC unit. Lastly, we will check the pipes that pump the air into the house to make sure they are free of dirt, debris, and mold. If a cleaning is required, we can take care of this as well, so you can spend the winter not having to worry about anything except walking over to the thermostat.